Cigarette case



Aug. 17, 1,943.

P. L. MCCOON CIGARETTE CASE Filed Nov. 12, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l "5a/lbwww Aug. 17, 1943.

P. l.. MccooN 2,327,120

CIGARETTE CASE Filed Nov. 12, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a cigare e case aofteamed Aug. 17, 1943 Paul-f1.. lvlclimn, Los f-Angeles,"y Calif.,Y:assigner to 1 Y 'LTriexf Corporatiomaa corporation of CaliforniaY".Yapplicaea'November-12, iefialserial No; 365,205

' `i1 claims. (o1. 20s-41.2)

inisyinvention frei-fates to containers .or cases and relates moreparticularly to casesffcrfoiga?v rettes and the like. ,A A, generalYobject-i of Ythe -inventionfis "to Y.provide a Vpractical,` effectiveand inexpensive l cigarettecicctiliefmeans destinen obje Giearett@ casei* the :cigarette fclase. embodying a 'novel A ifeffjeetivelyg protectsandseals removal. Y

garett case formed vwith onelendffully open y insertion or loading i of'the :entire an; Original cisarcttegpackaec into the case :k :mc elycaterina thc-cnam group -.of cigarettes finto the icas@ whilestrippingvv fthe origin.alA package fsaidfend'cf the case beineBranded'withaccvcrficrchisme end-sealtiiczceseftdrcta1n,and protecttiiccigarettes miner eobicct ofutlie'finventicn fistoiprvide which-thfeiccvcr ieicctne @perline- 4M0- tidcivi sp ine loadeddcfzr -coupledwith an ejector and fc -y meleascd .101' opening-1110 Il02H15@ thecinematic eieftcn cf iti-ic Cisa-fettes .cbiectfcf the invention-gist@mrc, .1de a device ofthe character mentioned emi; dying-a novel coupling:between'tliefcase cen/ien nd ;;the ejector door ywhich is :liniriiuredmaiected when ,the cover is hinecdfbetwcen t openand closed 'positionsfor tlieloading oi the Ycase and which may Serve as airline-e tigecover.

@cigarette casccf the .character'refcrred Ltczen licdvne a novel ccntrol:or 'lock means for lthe tneginventionfis Yto prei/ide a Y nd ivlsicliis -operaloleit'o successivel-y .projectfor ej ect the cigarettes forlread-y,

y' no tlicr, chiesi ofthe V= i r1vmticin lis' to provide characterreferred -togrr' application Aof my invention, throughoutwhicndescription reference. is made to the ac companying drawings, inwhich:

.-Fis sa perspective View of thecase provided bythisgf'inventionwithboththe 'covernand the "ejection means door closed. Fig. 2 is a sideelevationof the case showing the door raised and acigarettepartially:ejectedfrom the case. Y Fig. 3

jis a longitudinal detailed sectional view of tlue l0.

case in a reclininglrposition Withtljle cover open showinggthemannerirl-Which the case is loaded. Fig. ciis-,a v erticaludetailed sectionalview of the case vinv the `closed condition illustrating thecigarettesinfbroken linesand showing the feeding mechanism retracted.Fig.r5 is an enlarged.

fragmentary'.horizontal detailed sectional Yvievv taken-as indicatedbylinef-B on Fig. 4. Fig

enlarged; fiiagmentaryvertical sectionalY Viewtakensubstantially asindicated-by line G.E onjFiggAf. Figi -7V is an enlarged fragmentaryvertical Asectional View illustrating the mounting oftneffeeding means.Fig is an elevation View 4of tiie releasing member of tne feeding mecha-:ontalqdegtailedsectional viewtaken Vs1ilostantially cover whichprevents -openingiof the case when' the ejectcrdoor iseopen,therebypreyentnainjury to ,the ejecting mce'nanismf-andcmbodyine a ,lockmeans for ,the ,ejector `door `and ejector mechanism which lholds thesame against voperation when the Acover is raised to reload thecase.

A furtneioicject ofthe inventionis to prolvide a cigarette case ofthe`character mentioned ,embedying an `irriprdved feeding mechanism-vlhic1ri ieeds or advancesfrtlie cigarettes to the vejector ejectionthereby andgcontrolled b'yra latch means which serves to-fhold theciganettev push#- i-ng or feedingelement retracted against the Wall ofthe case where `it does not 'interfere witiitne. free loading of theyentire originalgroup ef ciga..

rettes into ne case, which latch means isreadily released subsequent tothe loading operation,

conditioning tion.

'Tiievarious 4objects and `features of my invention Willbe fullyimderstoed r-oniit -e following detailed .description of a typicalpreferred form the feeding mechanism for '.o'peranisrarernoved'frcn'ithe otherV parts. VVFig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontaldetailed :sec-

tonalvviewtakenas indicatedsby line 'l--Q -on Eig-,4. Fig.l0-is anenlarged vertical detailed seztional 'ivetv ofthe case showing. theejecting means infan actuated condition andthe feeding means f etracted.ll is.y a fragmentary horie as indicated by line vl l-ii ron Fig. l0 andFig. l? iis .agtragmentary perspective View of kone oftheicliannel-'rnembers removed-from the The'cigarettecase ofthe presentinvention may bcrsaid jtozcompriseggenerally, a case body I0, 'apivotedvor-'hinged cover vil Afor the-body I0, eject--V ing meansflsZ,associatedwith theqcover l and feeding means 43 for feeding theVcigarettes C toz-theejecting rneans l2.

' lhecase'rl0is ;provided to receive and contain thegogarettes Crandcarries and houses the various other elements of the device.- In-tliepreierredstructureithe case body lisdesigned'and proportioned toxreceivethe entire contents of an original package of cigarettes, for example,it mayzlzieiproportioned to receive twenty cigarettes infpa :packorfgroupi as generally marketed in the original,paper containe1. VAsillustrated, the Case body |55) fmay bev a hollow rectangular structureoomprisingafbottom lll, side Walls I5 and what I willterm edge walls It.

In ,accordance With the inventionthecase body H) has an open upper endnormallyclosed by the cover li. The case body I0 may be an integral orone-piece member formed of-a selected material. In practice y the vbody*lil may be constructed of one of the socalled plastic materials and itis preferred to formi-folie body l0 of transparent or partiallytransparentmaterial sothat the user mayV ascertain the number ofcigarettes within the case. The case body I3 may be of anyselectedgcolor and may be ornamented as desired. In the form of theinvention illustrated the edge walls I6 of the body Iii are providedwith ornamental trim or channel members I1 which serve to conceal, carryand house certain of the other elements to be later described. Thechannel shaped trim mem, bers I1 are partially recessed in centrallongitu; dinal grooves i8 in the external surfaces of thej walls i3,being arranged to have their edge flanges bearing in the grooves, seeFig. 5. Ears I9 pro- While their upper ends are spaced some distancevbelow the top of the case body.

The cover serves to normally close the upper end of the case to retainand protect the The channel members contents and is adapted to be openedto permit" the' loading of the case. The cover is preferably, though notnecessarily, formed of sheet metal and is generally flat and parallelwith the bottom i4 when in the closed position. Depend` ing flanges orwings 2| are provided on theopposite ends of the cover-| I and dependinganges 22 extend along the longitudinal edgesof the cover. The edge wallsI6 are indented or recessed at their upper parts to receive the wings 2|and the upper edges of the side walls |5arerrecessed to receive theflanges 22 so that these parts may lie substantially flush with theexternal surfaces of the case. The case cover is pressed or formed tohave a raised longitudinal rib 23 which continues across its upper sideand its wings 2| to complement or complete the channel members |1 of thebody I3. In accordance with mediately adjacent the plane occupied'by oneof thef body side wallsvIE. Thus, as best illustrated inFig's. l and-l1,horizontal hinge pins24 are" anchored in upper corner parts of the 'body|0 to have their axes in the vertical plane of a sidel pivotal movementbetween its vopen and closed When the cover II is closedthe en`Vpositions. gagement'of its wings 2| and flanges 22with the body wallsserves to hold the cover against opening. When the cover i I is open, asshown in Fig. 3 ofthe drawings, it is completely clear of the upper endof the body I3 so thatthe case may be readily loaded. Y

In aceordance with the invention a discharge opening-'25 is provided inthe cover tov permit the'ejection of the cigarettes C. The opening 25 isvsubstantially rectangular and is provided at one end of the cover I I.lThe opening 25'preferably has one longitudinal wall at an end edge orcorner of the cover II and its opposite end walls are adjacent thelongitudinal edge Vcorner'sof the cover. A central reduced extension ornotch 26 is provided in the inner longitudinal sideof the opening 25.The opening 25 is proportioned to freely pass at least two cigarettes.

' The ejecting means f2 is operable at the will of the user to Vprojectthe cigarettes C through the-Opening 25 singly or in pairs. The meansyI2 includes adoor 21 for the opening 25.` The door 21 conforms to theopening 25 to fully occupy 01 close the same and has a tongue 28occupying the notch 23. When the door 21 is closed its upper surface maylie flush with the surface of the coverlI and it is preferred to providea central rib 29 on the door to complete the rib 23. Down turned lugs 3Bare provided on the cover` I I at the vopposite sides of the notch 26and down turned ears3| on the tongue 28 lie against or adjacent theselugs. A pivot pin 32 passes through hori Zonta] openings in the lugs andears 3| to support thedoor 21 for `pivotal movement. A torsional opening33 surrounds the pin 32 and has one end anchored to the cover I I andone end bearing upwardly against the door 21. The spring 33 is operableto swing the door 21 vfrom its closed position to its open,substantially verticalposition. v

Latch means is provided to hold the door 21 closed and to retain Atheejecting mechanisml I2 in its idle retracted condition. The latch meanscomprises a latch 34 arranged at the inner side of the wing 2| which isat the discharge opening 25, see Fig. 10. -The latch 34 may be rivetedor otherwise xed to the wing 2| Aand extends-upwardly to have its upperend adjacent the'opening 25. The upper end of the latch 34 is shaped orbent to form a catch 35. The intermediate portion of thelatch 34 isshaped or bent to have an outwardly projecting-button part 36 which isreceived in an opening 31in the wing 2|. An inwardly projecting detentor hook 38.is formed on the outer edge Aof the door 21. The hook 33 maybe as shown or there may be an opening formed in the door 21 instead ofthe hook. The catch 35 is cooperable with the opening or hook 38 to holdthe door 21 closed. The resiliency of 'the latch 34 'normally retainsthecatch 35 in engagement with the opening or-hook 38. By merelypressing inwardly on the part 36 the latch 34 isexed to free the catch'35 from the opening or hook 38, lthus freeing the door 21 foropening.When the door 21 is recl'osed the opening or hook 38 again cooperateswith the catch 35 to hold the door shutfi o f I vThefejector means I2further includesa shiftableejector 33. The ejector 39 is a hat strip orstrap ridingron the internal surface of vthe wall I3 belowlthe `opening25. The means for guiding and retaining the ejectorSB comprises lugs orears 43 projecting from the inner side of thel ejector 39 and extendingthrough a vertical slot- 4| in the body wall I3. The outer parts of theears 4U are turned back or laterally to ride on the bottom wall of therecess i3. This structure is illustrated in Fig. 5. Theguiding ears 40are spaced verticallyalong the ejector 33. The ejector 39 is guided bythe ears 43 to lie flat against the wall Iii.` An outwardlyfor laterallyturned lifting foot :i2 is provided on the lower end of the ejector 39.VThe foot 42 may be curved or concave. Agroove 43 is formed in the casebottom I4 to receivethe foot 42 when the ejector is in its downposition. When the ejector 33 is in its fully retracted position itsupper end is spaced some distance below the opening 25.

The invention provides a novel coupling or connection between the door21 and the ejector 39. This connection includes a depending lug 44 onthe under side of the door 21. The lug 44 is at one side edge or end ofthe door 21 and is received in a notch 45 in the aligned case side wallI5 when the door is closed. A laterally or inwardly projecting iiange4,6 is provided on the ejector 39 in substantially verticalalignmentwith the lugv M. A link 41 extends Vbetween the lug downwardly andoutwardly'to have `its major material, such as spring brass of .O96orf-.O07 .of an inchthick, so that it conforms to the cigarettes C for asubstantial .part of itslength. yIt

will be observed that the torsional spring 'H aids the inherentresiliency of the blade Si in Amaintaining the blade in pressure contactwith the cigarettes C. The-blade 6'!Y is mounted on the body wall I E5adjacent the under side of the housing 5I and the blade is. bent orshapedvs'o that it is stopped or limited by the housing El' when thesupply of cigarettes C is reduced to only two or three. rIhe shape orcurvature of the blade 6'! is such that the lower part of the bladecannot dig into oriinjure the cigarettes C when the bladeis stopped orlimited bythe housing-5l., as just described. 1 The last cigarettes Care readily ejected without further movement ofV the A blade E1 which'might wedge or pinch them against the ejector 39.

The feed means I3 further includes'means. for

latching or retaining the blade '51 ina. retracted position against oradjacent .the wall'of the case I0 when a new supply of cigarettes is tobe loaded in the case. This means includes or provides an opening 'I2 inthe adjacent Wall I5 of the. body I. A U or V slot iscut in the'bladeGland the material denel by the slo-t is curled or rolled v Fig. l0 oftheV drawings where it lies `substantially iiush against the adj acentbody wall I6. The portion of the retracted blade 'l'above the detentpart 'I3 bows inwardly. to a sufcient extent to guide the cigarettes Cpast the opening in the blade at the detentpart 'I3 so that thecigarettes Vdo not foul or catchiin the opening whenloaded inthe case.

Means is provided for releasing the detent part 'I3 from the opening 12to free the blade 61 for operation.` This means includes a releasingmember 'M arranged within the channel member I1 .to extend across theouter side ofthe opening 12.

' The lower part of the releasing member T4 has lugs projecting from itsopposite edges and these lugs are Vreceived in notches 'l5 in the sideflanges of the trim or 'channel mem# berA Il. see Figs. 8 and 9, orengaged in notches in the body well i6. v The engagement of the lugs 15in the notches i6 retains the member 'I4 in position and permits liimtedpivotal movement of the member. The inner side of the releasing member'I4 engages with the detent part 13. 'The member 'M is bent or shaped tohavean outwardly projecting button H received in an opening 18 in thebody wall IS. The user may press on the button 11 to cause the member 'lto free the detent part 13 from the opening '12.

It is believed that the operation of the improved cigarette case of theinvention will be readily understood from the foregoing Adetaileddescription. AssumingI thatthe cover I I and the door 21 are closed andthat it is desired to load the case the user merely swings the cover IIto .the open position. During this operation the ejecting means I2remains unactuated land the lug M merely swings or pivots in the eye(i9. The cover II swings back to expose the entire end lof the case bodyi9. l This allows the entire group of cigarettes C contained in anoriginal paper` package P to be entered Vin the case body I.

1return the eXtra cigarette.

Prior to the insertion of the cigarettes C, the user may insert his'fingers in the case and press the blade 6'! back to latch the detentpart 'I3 in the opening 'l2 to hold the blade 61 retracted and out ofthepath of the cigarettes to be loaded in the case. With the cover IIopen and the blade E1 retracted the entire group vof cigarettes C may beeasily loaded in the case body I0 as a single unit or group in the order'or packed relation they had in the original package. Fig. 3 illustrateshow this is done. The inside dimensions ofthe case body I are such thatthe case is adapted to hold the cigarettes C in the closely packedrelation they bore in the original package.v Transferring the cigarettesC from theV original package to the case does not change the positionsof the cigarettes C. The case body lil is vvery little larger than theoriginal cigarette package P and the ejecting mechanism, etc. is made tooccupy a minimum amount of space so that the cigarettes are not crowdedor crushed in the case. With the cigarettes() loaded in the case body I0the cover i I may be closed. The case Ais then in condition for use. fY' When itis desiredto obtain a cigarette C the user merely pushes onthe part 36. This releases Athe catch from the hook 38 and the spring 33swings the door 2'1 open and moves the ejector 39 upwardly. Theejectorraises or ejects one or 'two cigarettes so that they project'through theopening 25 to be readily withdrawn. If onlyon cigarette desired and twocigarettes have been ejected thev user merely closes the door 21 to Whenthe door 21 is closed the hook 38 engages the catch 3S to latch thedoor. When three or four cigarettes Y lhave been withdrawn from the casethe user may press on the part I'I to free the blade 61. The blade @ipresses against the group of cigarettes VvC to urge the Acigarettesagainst the ejector 39 `and vthus feeds the cigarettes to the ejectingmeans I2. The blade 61 remains eifective until vthe supply of cigarettesis exhausted.

` Having described only a typical preferred form and application of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specicdetails herein set forth, but Wish to reserve to myself any variationsor modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art or fallwithin the scope of the following claims:

. Having described my invention, I clairn:

' l. A cigarette case comprising a case body having a rilling opening, acover for the opening hingedly connected to the body to be moved betweenopen and closed positions and having a movable portion, means operatedby the movable portion -for ejecting cigarettes from the case body, andlock operated by the movable portion for locking the cover closed duringsaid ejection of the-cigarettes.

A case of the character described comprising a case body havinfr a llingopening, a cover for the opening lhinged to :the body,` the cover havinga discharge opening, a door for the discharge opening, ejector means inthe body for ejecting objects through :the discharge opening. anoperative connection between the door and ejector for causingsimultaneous opening of the door and operationof the ejector, saidconnection permitting opening of the cover when the door is closed, anda lock for the cover connected with the door so'that the cover islocked. closed when the door is open. i Y

3. A cigarette case comprising arcase body for containing the cigarettesand having a lling' opening through which the cigarettes may be passedinto Vthe case, a pivoted .cover for the iilling opening having adischarge opening, a hinged door for the discharge opening, an ejectorin the case for ejectingthe cigarettes through discharge opening, anoperating member connected with the ejector, and a universal connectionbetween the member and door whereby opening of the door is accompaniedby operationl of the ejector, said connection being located to providefor relative pivotal movement between the door and member about thepivotal axis of the cover when the cover is opened and closed,

A cigarette case comprising a case body for containing the cigarettesand having a filling opening through which the cigarettes may be passedinto the case, a pivoted cover for the filling opening having adischarge opening, a hinged door for the discharge opening, a springmeans for opening the door, releasable latch means for latching the doorclosed, an ejector in the case for ejecting the cigarettes through thedischarge opening, an operating member connected with the ejector, and auniversal connection between the member and door whereby opening of thedoor is accompanied by operation of the ejector, said connection beinglocated to provide for relative pivotal movement between the doorandrmember about the pivotal axis of the cover when the cover is openedand closed.

5. A cigarette case comprising a case body for containing the cigarettesand having a iilling `opening through which the vcigarettes may bepassed into thev case, a pivoted cover for the filling opening having adischarge opening, a hinged door for the discharge opening, an ejectorin the case for ejecting the cigarettes through discharge opening, anoperating member connected with the ejector, a'universal pivotalconnection between theV member and the door whereby opening of the dooris Yaccompanied by operation of the ejector, said connection beinglocated to provide for relative pivotal movement between the member anddoor about the pivotal axis of the cover when the cover is raised withthe door in the closed Position, and a lock for the cover connected withthe door so that the cover is locked closed when the door is' open.

6. A cigarette case comprising a case body for r containing thecigarettes and having a filling Y opening through which the cigarettesmay be passed into the case, a pivoted cover for the filling openinghaving a'discharge opening, a hinged door for the discharge opening, anejector in the case for ejecting the cigarettes through the dischargeopening, an operating member connected with the ejector, a pivotalconnection between the member and the door whereby opening of the dooris accompanied by operation of the ejector, said connection providingfor relative pivotal movement betewen the member and door about thepivotal axis of the cover when the cover is raised with the door in theclosed position, and lock means operable upon opening of the door forlocking the cover against opening, the lock means comprising a movablelock part carried by vthe cover for locking with the body, and cam meanson the door for operating the lock part.

7. A case of the character described comprising a case body having aiilling opening, a cover for the opening hinged to the body, the coverhavobjects through the discharge opening, an oping a ldischarge opening,a door for the discharge opening, ejector `means in thebody for ejectingerative ccnnection'between the doorjand ejector for causing simultaneousopening of the door and operation of the ejector, said. connectionpermitting opening of the cover when the door `is Vthe lock partretracted, and cam means on the door for moving the lock part intolocking engagement with the Vbody when the `door is opened.

8. A cigarette case comprising a case body for containing the cigarettesand having a iilling opening through which the cigarettes may be passedinto the case, a cover for the lling opening adapted to be moved to anopen position clear of the-lling opening, the cover having a dischargeopening, an ejector at one wall of the body for ejecting the cigarettesthrough the discharge opening, a leaf springmounted at the oppositewall'of the body for feeding the cigarettes to the ejector, and meansfor-latching the leaf spring in adjacent relation'to said opposite wallwhen the cigarettes are to be loaded in the body including a liXedshoulder in the body and a projection on the spring for latchingwith'the shoulder.

9. in a cigarette case, a body for containing the cigarettes and havinga filling opening, ejecting means in the body for ejecting thecigarettes therefrom, a blade tending to move toward-the ejecting meansto feed the cigarettes thereto, and releasable means for holding theblade retracted when the cigarettes are to be loaded into ,the casebody, the last named means including a shoulder on the body, a part onthe blade for releasabiy latching with the shoulder, and a manuallyoperable member on the case for disengaging `Said part from theshoulder.

10. In a cigarette case, a body for containingVV the cigarettes andhaving a filling opening, ejecting means in the body for ejecting thecigarettes therefrom, a curved spring blade tending to move towardtheejecting means to feed the cigarettes thereto, and reieasable-means forholding the blade Vretracted when the cigarettes are to be loaded intothe case body, the body having anY opening, a trim member on theexterior of the body covering said opening in the wall of the body andhaving a window, and a releasing mem--v ber in the trim member manuallyaccessible through the window to release said part from the opening inthe body wall. Y

l1. In a cigarette oase, a body for receiving and hoiding thecigarettes, ejecting -means in theV body for ejecting the cigarettestherefrom, a substantailiy semi-circular thin iiexible spring bladehaving one end achored in the body to have itsA intermediate portionflattened through contact with the cigarettes and urgingthe cigaretteslaterally toward the ejecting means while maintaining the cigarettesupright and an auxiliary torsional spring acting on the blade adjacentits anchored end to assist the blade in feeding the cigarettes to theejecting means.

PAUL L. MCCOON.

